• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Recipe Index
  • About Le Chef's Wife
  • Press
  • Contact

Le Chef's Wife logo

  • Start Here
  • Soup Sunday
  • Riviera Recipes
  • Entertaining
  • Boutique
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Recipe Index
  • About Le Chef's Wife
  • Salad Saturday
  • Start Here
  • Soup Sunday
  • Riviera Recipes
  • Baking
  • Family Meals
  • Entertaining
  • Boutique
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Riviera Recipes

    March 12, 2022

    La Daube Provençale made simple

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    Daube provençal in a white bowl - beef stew with fettucine with a yellow napkin

    La Daube Provençale is the South of France version of the classic "Boeuf Bourguignon". Many of the ingredients and methods of cooking are the same, however it is the addition of orange zeste and Niçois olives that make this dish unforgettable.

    I will never forget my first Daube Provençale. I was an exchange student in Nice and was out to lunch on sunny winter day in the old town with my Swedish friends. We stopped at a restaurant in the old town, next to the market that advertised a "plat du jour" (dish of the day) for 12 euros . The main course was la Daube Provençale. Stewed beef in a rich, winey sauce, served over a heaping pile of spaghetti. Not potatoes. That first bite with the orange zest hitting my tongue was a revelation!

    Julia Child became famous for her Boeuf Bourguignon and it is not hard to see why - meat that has been stewed for hours in a red wine sauce until it melts in your mouth it nothing short of incredible. La Daube Provençale has all the tastes of Boeuf Bourguignon but with the added brightness of orange zest that cuts through the hearty sauce. Plus , pasta with stew is a amazing (sorry potatoes)!

    17 years after that first experience in the old town of Nice, I have learnt to make La Daube Provençale the way that my husband, French Chef, Sébastien Giannini has taught me. I am honored to share our family recipe with you. You will certainly pick up a few French cooking tips along the way. Allons-y!

    Frequently asked questions

    What is the difference between Boeuf Bourguignon and La Daube Provençale?

    Both are very similar - beef stewed in red wine for hours. Boeuf Bourguignon originates from the Burgundy region of France while La Daube Provençale is from Provence. La Daube Provençale has orange zest and olives for a distinctive South of France flavor. La Daube Provençale is very similar to la Daube Niçoise as well.

    Why do I have to dry the meat?

    Drying the meat (patting it down with a paper towel) is an essential step to get a good sear on the beef. If you don't pat down the meat, it won't sear.

    How long does La Daube Provençale take to cook?

    While the process is spread over couple days, the actually active cooking time is less than an hour. It is important to let the beef marinate for 24 hours in the fridge before cooking. I also recommend serving La Daube the day after you have cooked it. The flavors are so much richer!

    Ingredients for la daube Provençale
    Ingredients for La Daube Provençale

    Ingredients List

    2 pounds of Top Round London Broil

    2.5 pounds of Chuck Roast

    1 cup of pancetta or lardons (use chopped up bacon if you can't find either)

    4 shallots, peeled and cut into strips, lengthwise

    4 large carrots, diced

    2 branches of celery , diced

    6 branches of thyme

    2 branches of rosemary

    1 star anise

    4 bay leaves

    3 cloves of garlic

    ½ cup flour, all purpose

    1.5 cups pearl onions peeled (to peel, place onions in a pot of boiling water, strain and let cool - they will be easy to peel!)

    4 cups of mushrooms, cleaned and cut in 4

    2 cloves

    1 cup of Niçois olives (Taggiasca also are amazing or Kalamata if you can't find the either)

    2 tsps sugar

    2 cups beef stock

    1 bottle of red wine

    1 cup chopped parsley

    2 oranges for zesting

    herb garnish for the marinade of la daube provençal - carrots, celery, oranges, shallots
    Seasonings for the Marinade

    Equipment Needed:

    Cast Iron Dutch Oven - I use this Le Creuset 6.75 QT

    Kitchen Tongs

    Sieve

    Rubber Spatula

    This post contains affiliate links. By clicking on the links I receive a small commission on any purchases you make, at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting my small business.

    Cubes of meat, oranges, carrots, onions for la daube provençal
    The beef, mushrooms, onions & garnish - ready to add the wine and cook in the oven

    Serving La Daube Provençale

    When you have finshed cooking La Daube (recipe card below), cook your favorite pasta as per the package recommendations. I recommend spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine for this dish (I like to twirl my pasta in the sauce) but I have also had La Daube Provençale served with pillows of fresh gnocchi, which was delightful!

    After you have strained your pasta - put it back in the cooking pot and immediately pour a few spoonfuls of hot Daube sauce over the noodles. Stir so the sauce fully coats each noodle - this will ensure every bite is full of flavor!

    Serve a portion of noodles in each dish (I love to serve La Daube in shallow pasta bowls like these), then top with a generous helping of La Daube using a large spoon to scoop up all of the sauce as well.

    Top with orange zest and chopped fresh parsley & serve immediately.

    Daube provençal in a white bowl - beef stew with fettucine and olives on a white plate

    What to serve with La Daube Provençale

    I highly recommend serving with a homemade French Baguette - my super simple 2 hour recipe is perfect for making at the same time as your Daube cooks. There is nothing better than a crusty piece of bread dipped in the rich, winey sauce of La Daube. Simply turn the oven up to 460 degrees once your Daube is done to cook the baguettes while the Daube cools down. Don't forget to add the dish of water into the oven to create steam for the baguette!

    A Provençale red wine that is coarse yet fruity is best served with La Daube. I personally love a Bandol such as a Domaine Tempier or Restanques du Pibarnon.

    Reheating La Daube Provençale

    La Daube Provençale is even better the day after it was cooked. If serving for a dinner party or special occasion, feel free to marinate the daube one day, cook it the next day then store it over night in the fridge before serving it on day 3! You can skim the fat from the top, place the dutch oven on the stove top uncovered and bring to a slow simmer before serving.

    Other Le Chef's Wife recipes you will enjoy:

    French Roast Chicken

    Turkey au Vin

    I hope you have enjoyed our family recipe for La Daube Provençale. If you make this recipe I would appreciate a star rating on the recipe and a comment below - I love hearing from this community!

    Au plaisir,

    Le Chef's Wife

    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    la Daube provençal in a white bowl - beef stew with fettucine 2 bowls

    La Daube Provençale made simple

    ★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews
    • Author: lechefswife
    • Prep Time: 45
    • Cook Time: 2.5 hours
    • Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes + resting time
    • Yield: 6 1x
    • Category: French
    • Method: Stew
    • Cuisine: French
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    A Daube Provençale is the South of France version of the classic "Boeuf Bourguignon". Many of the ingredients and methods of cooking are the same, however it is the addition of orange zeste and Niçois olives that make this dish unforgettable. This is our family recipe, full of French cooking tips. Allons-y!


    Ingredients

    Scale

    2 pounds of Top Round London Broil

    2.5 pounds of Chuck Roast

    1 cup of pancetta or lardons (use chopped up bacon if you can't find either)

    4 shallots, peeled and cut into strips, lengthwise

    4 large carrots, diced

    2 branches of celery , diced

    6 branches of thyme

    2 branches of rosemary

    1 star anise

    4 bay leaves

    3 cloves of garlic

    ½ cup flour, all purpose

    1.5 cups pearl onions peeled (to peel, place onions in a pot of boiling water, strain and let cool - they will be easy to peel!)

    4 cups of mushrooms, cleaned and cut in 4

    2 cloves

    1 cup of Niçois olives (Taggiasca also are amazing or Kalamata if you can't find the either)

    2 tsps sugar

    2 cups beef stock

    1 bottle of red wine

    2 oranges for zesting

    1 cup chopped parsley


    Instructions

    The day before...

    La mise en place:

    Chop your beef into cubes, about 2 inches thick.

    Chop the carrots, celery and garlic for the marinade.

    In a dutch oven, place the beef, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme branches (left whole), star ainse and bay leaves and the skin of one orange (use a vegetable peeler). You don't need to make a bouquet garni (or herb bouquet) as we will be straining the marinade afterwards.

    Top with a half bottle of robust red wine. We are looking for a wine with lots of tannins like a cabernet franc, syrah, mourvèdre or grenache. I like to use a French Pinot Noir too that has light fruit but lots of body.

    Using a big spoon, fold the ingredients over eachother so it is nicely mixed.

    Cover your dutch oven with plastic wrap (so it is air tight) and set in the fridge for 24 hours.

    Cooking La Daube Provençale:

    Set a pasta strainer inside a big bowl. Transfer the contents of your dutch oven into the strainer - making sure to keep all the juice in the bowl! You will use this later.

    Remove the chunks of marinated beef from the strainer and pat dry with paper towels. You must dry the meat! If you skip this step it will not sear.

    Lay the dried pieces of meat flat on a cutting board and lightly dust with flour. I like to use a sieve for this - you don't want too much flour.

    There is no cutting corners with a Daube, but I promise you it will be worth it!

    Make sure to keep the carrots and celery from the marinade as well. Do however, discard the star anise.

    Wipe down your dutch oven and put it back on the burner at medium high heat with a drizzle of olive oil.

    In small batches, sear the meat so that there is a light crust on each piece. Allow the meat to brown and remove the pieces once the meat begins to render liquid in the dish. You don't want the meat to boil!

    Use tongs , not a spoon, to place the meat in the dutch oven because you want to make sure you are not adding extra liquid.

    **Careful not to add more pieces of meat than can fit in one layer in your dutch oven - you want each piece to brown. This may take several batches to sear all of the meat.

    Repeat until all the meat has been seared, making sure to continuously scrape the bottom of your dish with a rubber spatula - this is where all the flavor is! Set the meat aside.

    **Le Chef's tip - use a marinade brush to wipe the sides of the dutch oven every so often to keep the sides clean

    In the bottom of your dutch oven on medium heat, add the pancetta. Allow to brown and then add the peeled mini onions and quartered mushrooms. Sprinkle 2 tsps of sugar on top and sautée until slightly caramelized on medium heat, stirring frequently.

    Add the seared meat & marinated vegetables back into the dutch oven as well as the remaining rosemary, laurier (bay leaf) and thyme.

    Add the remaining half bottle of wine and the marinade liquid that you kept in the bowl. If there is room in your pot, add the beef stock. Careful not to fill the dutch oven too full.

    Stir a few times, folding the ingredients over each other so that it is all well mixed

    Place the lid on your dutch oven and set on the middle rack of your oven at 350 degrees for 2.5 hours.

    Stir every half hour or so.

    When the time is up - add in the olives and stir. We don't add the olives earlier in the cooking process as the olives we are using a soft and stored in olive oil - they are perfect for adding at the end.

    The fragrance from this dish is absolutely delectable!


    Notes

    When the Daube is fully cooked, cook your favorite pasta as per the package recommendations. I recommend spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine for this dish (I like to twirl my pasta in the sauce) but I have also had La Daube Provençale served with pillows of fresh gnocchi, which was delightful!

    After you have strained your pasta - put it back in the cooking pot and immediately pour a few spoonfuls of hot Daube sauce over the noodles. Stir so the sauce fully coats each noodle - this will ensure every bite is full of flavor!

    Serve a portion of noodles in each dish (I love to serve La Daube in shallow pasta bowls like these), then top with a generous helping of La Daube using a large spoon to scoop up all of the sauce as well.

    Top with orange zest and chopped fresh parsley & serve immediately.

    Keywords: french cooking, daube provençale, daube, daube niçoise

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @lechefswife on Instagram

    « 5 learnings from 8 weeks of Soup Sunday Challenge
    Mousse au Chocolat (French Chocolate Mousse made simple) »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Suzanne says

      March 12, 2022 at 2:38 pm

      I am guilty of having cut corners while making Daube in the past…no more!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • lechefswife says

        March 14, 2022 at 2:41 am

        I can't wait to make it for you! x

        Reply
    2. Renee | Mountain Culinaire says

      May 21, 2022 at 4:21 pm

      I made this--as the bright, fresh flavors sounded appealing--and they were delightful! The step-by-step instructions provided everything I needed to know, and the result was delicious. I'm happy to have another French stew to know how to make, in addition to Boeuf Bourgignon. Thank you to Le Chef's Wife!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • lechefswife says

        May 30, 2022 at 6:45 pm

        Thank you so much Renee! I am thrilled that you enjoy the recipe 🙂 It makes me so happy to hear! Thank you very much for taking the time to leave a comment.

        Reply
    3. Deborah Karaban says

      November 29, 2022 at 2:11 pm

      It was my first time making La Daube Provencale. I was wanting to prepare a lean grass fed top round roast in a tender way. Your recipe filled the bill perfectly. My husband couldn’t stop complimenting as he was eating it. He works for a French gourmet company so he is accustomed to tasting some very good food. Your instructions made it easy and it was well worth the time. This is a keeper for sure! Thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • lechefswife says

        December 02, 2022 at 12:50 am

        Thank you Deborah for your kind comment! I am so thrilled that you enjoy La Daube Provençale as much as we do! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and a star rating. I greatly appreciate it!! Wishing you a wonderful day!
        Warmest regards, Anina Belle

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    Primary Sidebar

    Bonjour. If you are looking for French Recipes, made simple, you are in the right place! I translate the fancy cooking of my French Chef husband into easy-to-follow recipes that busy people with no culinary training, like me, can cook. From French Baguettes to French Riviera classic recipes, I invite you to learn French cooking with me.

    More about me →


    Follow Me On

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube


    Popular

    • 44 Best Easter Recipes
    • Rosemary Garlic Roasted Potatoes
    • Simple Roast Rack of Lamb and Potatoes
    • Creamiest homemade Lobster Mac and Cheese


    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    My Favorites

    • Quick Easy Baguettes (Baking Baguettes for Beginners)
    • Mediterranean Branzino Filet Recipe with Vierge Sauce
    • Le Chef's Wife Essential Kitchen Tools

    Search

    Follow

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Featured In


    Copyright © 2020 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme